Kinsai Gilding Workshop with Artisan Instruction – Experience Traditional Beauty at Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design

Kyoto Traditional Craft Taught by a Yuzen Kinsai Gilding Artisan

Yuzen is a proud craft tradition of Kyoto, using luxurious dyeing techniques imbued with traditional Japanese aesthetic sensibilities to create opulent, elegant colors and patterns. Each piece is meticulously hand-dyed and hand-coated to produce exceptionally beautiful kimonos and obi sashes. 

The radiant beauty created by Tanaka’s kinsai gilding

Kinsai is an integral part of the refined charm of Kyoto yuzen, using gold leaf and gold powder to gild the fabric with a tasteful three-dimensional shine similar in visual texture to a painting – a perfect accent to the beauty of the underlying yuzen dye work.

The gold leaf work of Kyoto yuzen kinsai done by a professional artisan

Kinsai artisan and proprietor of the Tanaka Kinsai Kogei studio Hideto Tanaka leads the experience. The studio has been in business for over a century, and Hideto is its fourth-generation proprietor – a master craftsman awarded the title “Certified Traditional Kyoto Artisan” by the Kyoto Prefectural government in acknowledgement of his outstanding skills as a young practitioner of traditional craft. “I want to get more people interested in kinsai,” he explains of his pursuits in producing yuzen kinsai, creating a variety of other works using gold leaf, and holding craft workshops. Alternatively, visitors might be instructed by Teiichi Tanaka, the previous proprietor of the studio.

Hideto Tanaka, the 4th-generation proprietor of Tanaka Kinsai Kogei

A Hands-on Experience of Kyoto Craft Tradition at the Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design

The experience starts at the Kyoto Museum of Crafts and Design. Here, learn all about Kyoto’s proud history of artisanal industry and culture. The museum’s exhibits are a hands-on experience of that history and over 70 of its constituent traditional crafts, such as Kyo-yuzen dyeing, Nishijin-ori silk, Kiyomizu-yaki ceramics, Kyo-sensu folding fans, and Buddhist altar fittings. Each is introduced and explained in beginner-accessible detail.

The museum is a smorgasbord for the senses of fine craft handiwork, beauty, and artisanal depth

In this special Wabunka plan, tour the museum with Tanaka’s expert commentary before experiencing a kinsai workshop. Learning all about the perspectives of the creators of these unique crafts will help put you in their mindset, as well as give you a better understanding of the techniques and culture behind them.

Tanaka’s talk on Kyoto yuzen dyeing and kinsai gilding is accessible and informative

The full production process of Kyoto yuzen is highly specialized, characterized by a division of labor among several expert artisans each with their own vital skillset – artists who produce the design sketches, dyers who dye the fabric, and kinsai gilders who apply the gold leaf accents. It is only through this chain of expert processing that the unique and elegant finish is achieved, and Tanaka will explain all about the details of the process, including the tools used in the workshop.

The Beauty and Depth of Artisanal Handiwork

After the museum, it’s time to head to the workshop to try gilding a fabric panel with kinsai. Choose from about 10 traditional patterns popular since ages past, as well as 6 different colors, to create your own unique work of art.

Sakura (cherry blossoms) have long been a popular floral motif

Before you begin, Tanaka gives a demonstration of the process. Adhesive paste is applied with a silk screen to create the base pattern on the cloth panel – a step that looks easy in Tanaka’s expert hands, but is actually the most difficult part of the whole process. Use a spatula to spread the paste evenly from top to bottom.

Adhesive paste is applied with a silk screen to create the base for intricate patterns

The paste is then dried using a hair dryer and the gold leaf coating applied. The technique here is known as surihaku, which involves creating the pattern first in adhesive paste, coating this in gold leaf which adsorbs onto the paste, and then brushing the excess leaf away to reveal the final design. Many kinsai craft experiences use a simplified technique of applying sticker-like sheets of gold leaf, but this is a rare chance to experience authentic surihaku and enjoy the exquisite colors and gradients possible with Tanaka’s approach.

A precious up-close look at Tanaka’s craftsmanship

A Pure Moment of Craft and Tradition

When you’ve chosen your pattern and cloth panel, it’s time to create. Apply the adhesive paste and then experience the joy of applying gold leaf. Tanaka will be by your side throughout to answer any questions or consult with you about color selection and placement.

Kinsai can be performed with not only gold, but also eye-catching hues like green and pink

This experience features lines of colored gold leaf that are out of production and highly valued in the industry – giving visitors an extremely rare opportunity to work with a collection of materials amassed by the previous generations of Tanaka Kinsai. “I hope people will make use of this unusual opportunity and really enjoy themselves,” says Tanaka. For some of the colors offered, it’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

Even a beginner can manage a satisfying finish

Gilding these fabric panels with your own hands yields personal and truly original works of art, and the surihaku technique lets even absolute beginners craft beautiful pieces without fear of mistakes. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of completing and displaying your own work.

Traditional Craft for Vibrant Works of Art that Enhance the Day-to-day

“Kinsai might seem difficult at first,” says Tanaka, “but when you experience it for yourself you’ll see that this is an experience even children can enjoy. I want to make these traditional crafts as casually approachable as possible, so people can explore their interest in them without intimidation.” And it’s only through this Wabunka plan that participants can craft fabric panels to take home. These gilded pieces are perfect for adding a touch of elegant decor to any interior space – and for bringing the traditional beauty of Kyoto into the day-to-day.

Examples of finished fabric panels, sure to conjure up memories of Kyoto

Experience authentic Kyoto craft tradition from a master of Kyoto yuzen kinsai in this plan, just as much an art experience as a precious opportunity to get up close with the beauty of Japanese tradition and create lifelong memories. Don’t just look at this gorgeous aesthetic culture – experience it.